A/N: I'm sure it'll have been the same for many, but this weeks been a bit hectic. Everything with my uni is changing day by day and it's gone from vague concern to shutting down facilities in a matter of days. I plan to carry on posting, but I just want to let you guys know that my posts may not be as punctual as they have been so far and they may not be as well proof-read, so If you see any mistakes PLEASE let me know. Thank you to SPQR-Alan for reviewing again last week, it's great to hear the feedback. Sending my heart out to anyone dealing with health or financial problems associated with the virus. Stay safe and look after the venerable in your community. ~ Emma x


"I want you to train me."

Percy blinked at his sister, her words filling the air before he even had a chance to say hello. When she'd texted asking to come round he thought that either she'd had an epiphany about Bahram or she'd changed her mind about building a familial bond, never would he have imagined she'd ask for that.

"Me?" He spluttered before he could think of something smarter.

Emma raised her eyebrows at him as if to say 'Um, yeah.' or 'Who else?'. She stood in his doorway fiddling with the cuff of her black leather jacket. Not the usual one then.

Her eyes were a little too wide and though he knew that ADHD could leave you buzzing with energy, her whole vibe screamed 'overtired'. She had clearly tried to cover the dark circles with makeup, but that wasn't the only thing she was covering. Despite her attempt, she hadn't been able to disguise the bruises that bloomed over her cheek and jaw. Each time he spotted a new bruise he felt his gut clenched tighter.

He winced. "Is it worth asking who you got into a fight with first?".

She raised her hand to her cheek before dropping it again. It was too late to hide it now. "I went bowling with Rory and one of his LA friends last night. Turns out that Mia's bowling alley is actually run by Lamia, the child eating queen of Lamos."

He clenched his jaw, feeling the familiar surge of protectiveness. Why couldn't she just let him keep an eye on her? The gods seemed perfectly happy to squeal and stand behind him in the face of danger. He bit his tongue, remembering what happened the last time he'd suggested that to her. At least she was being honest with him.

Emma didn't seem to notice his internal frustration and looked away from him, the corners of her mouth raising on either side. "It might be a while before it reopens considering they'll need to find a new owner and fix all of the plumbing."

Percy felt his tight expression loosening into a half smile. He expected to get overprotective around her, but he didn't expect the feeling of pride that floated up like hope from Pandora's box. He knew he cared too fiercely for the people closest to him, it was his fatal flaw after all, but somehow he felt that overbearing instinct shift. Maybe he could take a step back. Maybe what she was offering was the perfect compromise. He could protect her by training her. He would be able to relax, knowing she could protect herself if they trained regularly.

Percy sighed. "How about we take a drive. I don't think my mum would be thrilled to come back and find her apartment flooded."

Emma's face lit up and Percy realised that he wouldn't have even been able to say no if he'd wanted to.

"Agreed."


Roses. Emma had never really liked roses. They were the symbol of hopeless romanticism and the epitome of a meaningless gift. Though many literary works liked to claim the red rose symbolised love, it was Emma's view that they simply meant that the sender didn't know enough about the intended recipient, because whose favourite flower was a rose? If you were truly trying to send your lover a show of affection, would it not be best to give them the flower they want most?

Emma had been staring at the bouquet for about fifteen minutes with her hands braced against the edge of the kitchen counter and going back and forth in her mind about what to do. Upon picking them up from the concierge she had wondered who on earth would send her such a gift. Perhaps it was her mum or her grandparents, but it wasn't close to her birthday and she highly doubted Halloween was an excuse to send a family member fifty red roses. Her heart had tricked her mind into thinking that perhaps she had been wrong about Rory and maybe he did like her back after all. Upon reaching her apartment she pulled out the card only to discard it moments later with disappointment. She hadn't moved since. Not even the knock at the door pulled her out of her staring content with the petals, despite them making her completely forget her previous plans.

"It's open." She called.

As he crossed the threshold, Rory stopped in his tracks. She raised her eyes to see his trained on the very thing that was plaguing her mind so much. His lips were parted, eyebrows drawn together.

"Who… who are those from?"

The only response she could give was a grim expression, he crossed the room and picked up the note, reading aloud; "What if I can't do forever... Austin."

He breathed out, letting his shoulders drop. When he looked up at her the tension was gone from his face. Emma couldn't believe it. She shot him an incredulous look.

"I'm sorry. What part about the fact my ex, who not only sold his soul to the devil but would have sent mine off first class in the post, buying me flowers instead of leaving me alone is relaxing for you?"

"What? I just... I thought.. I…"

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, taking his sweet time to piece together an excuse.

"How am I supposed to know how monsters like to send their death threats?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "That's what you're going with?"

He shook his head at her and leant back, perching on the back of the sofa. No quick witted response. No easy humour. His shoulders seemed tense as he hunched over.

"What's wrong?" Emma stood upright in an instant. She moved around the counter toward him.

He shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just tired… and I was worried about you."
Emma caught her lip between her teeth. She instantly knew she hadn't said the right thing or reacted the right way. A tide of uneasiness rose in her chest, drawing her under the surface. The last thing she wanted was to overthink how she was around Rory. He was her safe space. Or at least he had been.

She ran her fingers through her hair, still damp from training with Percy. "I should shower." She muttered, grasping at straws to fill the silence.

"What are you going to do with them?" He nodded at the flowers.

She looked back at them, tilting her head. "They're too good to waste. Too tainted to keep. I could give them to my mum? It would be nice to give them to someone who actually appreciates them."

A thought struck her, as if Zeus had sent one of his lightning bolts down. A thought Lou would have greatly approved of. A plan began to form in her mind like a spider spinning a web.

"Why do I get the feeling you've just had a terrible idea." Rory's face held a lazy smile.

"I don't know what you mean McKenzie." She span toward him, raising a hand to her chest. "I only thought it would be nice to share them around. I know just the person who would adore them."

A wicked grin broke through her mockingly earnest expression.


The more Rory told himself he could carry on being 'just friends' with Emma, the more he allowed himself to believe it. Every time he drove her into school, or went over to her place or she sat with him at lunch, he got closer to believing that maybe his crush would go away. That had been until he had seen the flowers in her apartment. His heart had leapt into his throat at the thought that someone else might catch her attention. It was easy to feign indifference when there was no one but Riley going after her because, to be honest, with the fact he was on team bad guy, Austin was a non starter.

He was shocked that even after he saw they were from Riley he couldn't relax. He'd clammed up like a dork.

Emma had eased him up as they got on with homework, but every time he saw them over his shoulder he couldn't help but see them as a reminder of what Riley had done and what was to come. He had no idea what the oracle looked like, but in his mind its eyes were glowing as red as the roses in the kitchenette.
Maybe he'd carried on acting weirdly all day. Maybe that's why Emma had asked to go in alone the next day. He had never thought of the passenger seat as empty until she wasn't in it.

He turned the corner of the school hall to see her leaning up against her locker reading. To everyone else this might have seemed like usually weirdo behavior, but he knew it wasn't usual behaviour for this weirdo. Her eyes flickered around the room every now and then, scanning.

He wandered over and leant up next to her. "Have I missed the announcement of the locker break in epidemic or is there some other reason you're standing guard?"

"I'm trying to blend in, but I suppose talking to you would be more natural." She stuffed the paperback in her satchel.

"Blend in? What are you hiding from?"

"Shh."

"Wha-"

She smacked his arm and he decided it was best to stop talking. He followed her eye line to where Betty Gardener had just walked in flanked by three of her friends. Rory stiffened, he usually avoided those girls having made out with more than one of them and he didn't like the reminder of the kind of guy he'd been at the start of term. It didn't matter though, he had to find out what Emma was up to.

As Betty opened up her locker her face lit up while the other girls exchanged gasps and giggles. Rory tried to crane his neck to see what the fuss was all about, but Emma pushed him back.

"You look like you're staring."

"I am staring."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you're gonna give me away."

He bit his tongue and turned his attention back to the hall. Betty looked much less pleased now, her face scrunched up and lips pouting as she complained to her friends. He wondered what could have caused such a change when he saw her finally draw the item of her attention out of her locker. A few red roses and a small card.

"What did you do?" He whispered, but she only smirked back at him. This was a side of Emma he had never seen before. She radiated confidence and lacked any fear that someone should have after pulling a stunt like that.

Something must have caught her eye because she turned abruptly and pulled him down the hall, away from Betty. They stopped just round the corner where, though they were hidden, they still had a good view. He was about to ask why they'd moved when he saw Riley walking in.

Up until that point, they had been too far to hear anything else said but he was pretty sure the whole school would hear about the rest sooner or later.

"Is this a joke?" Betty shrieked at him down the hall.

Riley turned toward the sound, his face betraying no emotion. Betty marched up to him, shoving the note against his chest.

"You can't do forever? We get back together and you can't even go three days without calling it off again?"

Though she seemed on the brink of tears, Riley just looked bewildered. He wasn't used to being caught off guard.

"What are you talking about?" Rileys tone was dry as he looked down at the note. It amazed Rory that despite what was happening, Riley could still act as if this was just classic hysterical Betty. You would have to know Riley well to see the tension in his jaw as he crumpled the card in his hand. "I didn't send this."

"You think I don't know your handwriting?" She spat back, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Why would I lie about this?" He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. It would have been a slick move if Rory hadn't first seen that they were balled into fists. "Whatever, think what you want."

Riley glanced around before pushing past her. She shouted back at him but he just kept walking.

Rory knew he shouldn't feel sympathy for either of them, but a part of him did. If he had been able to change, surely Riley could too, under the right circumstances. Then again, didn't selling out your oldest friend put you past the point of no return?

"Imagine sending flowers to one girl while getting back together with another." Emma mused with a smug expression on her face. Her ability to find joy in things that would cause a normal person distress both amazed and disturbed him in equal measure.

"Only you would come in early just to mess with people." He said as they began walking. "How did you do it anyway?"

"I just told the woman in the office that I was delivering them to Betty from her boyfriend. Technically, not a lie. She'd been more than happy to let me put them into Betty's locker. It was too easy."

Rory chuckled. He liked seeming Emma so pleased with herself, puffing out her chest and grinning like a crazy person. It made a nice change.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side."