To RandomFanAuthor- THANK YOU! And they're not even in the right time to have corona, if I've worked it out right :P I'm currently on Chapter 45 of Tyrant's Tomb, not quite done yet! It's looking to be about fifty ish chapters, and it's the canon one first. The Jason-is-awake one is later! I love Reyna, she's so much fun to write. So you want a coronavirus quarantine one-shot and everyone stepping on Lego one-shot?
To someone- Awww, I'm glad! They're such a fun dynamic to write, thank you! ^_^
To Thals13- My brother literally has a Lego room, the amount we step on/knock down/accidentally hoover up, it's... torture, in a way. I wrote the quarantine idea before lockdown, so... they all stole my idea? I dunno :P If she's not straight, would it be gayforward? O.o LEOISA IS A NO. MWHAHA, SUFFER!
For about four hours, Louisa was doing alright, aside from her Lego-stabbed foot and her consequential head-dive over the coffee table. She learned the layout of the house, picked up toys so she didn't stab her foot again, found all the cameras and broke a rule- she stuck her tongue out at every single one. She summarised the contents of the fridge, helping herself to a block of cheese, and eating it as she walked around.
She was walking back past the cupboard under the stairs, set to return upstairs and do some drawing or something. She needed to occupy her hands, needed to clear them of this itchiness she could not wash away. She got two steps past the cupboard door and then stopped.
The rushing noise was back.
It was tinny, she felt like it was something small. She should have ignored it, should have continued on upstairs. Her body would not obey. She turned on her heel, reaching for the handle with pins and needles in her fingers.
The cupboard was dark, she found a pull-light. There was a vacuum cleaner, some umbrellas, a bucket, an assortment of cleaning products and random junk just stuffed away out of sight. She stuck her head in, the noise taking on a refinement, pulling at her left side. She looked left, startling away and smacking her head on the door frame.
A spider the size of her palm sat on the wall, black and thick-bodied. It had been inches from her face and now she was sure her skull was dented for it. She swore at it, its front leg twitched.
She had no problems with spiders- gods knew how many she had cleared out for Annabeth and her siblings when Percy wasn't there to get them. She had scooped them up and carried them away from the cabins, throwing them into the woods- an acceptable distance for the Athena cabin.
She didn't want to touch this one. It seemed to watch her expectantly. She could just leave it in the cupboard, spiders didn't really bother her. What bothered her was the rushing noise.
Leo leaned closer to the screen, toggling the controls to bring the hallway feed to full-screen. He was on his own at the moment, Reyna was due back in a couple of hours. Hazel had checked in with him, bringing him cheese and ham toasties and forcing him to eat them. He hadn't realised how hungry he was, although her golden-eyed glare stopped him from wolfing them down. Manners.
Now they were both watching Louisa inspect the cupboard under the stairs- or the Harry Potter cupboard, as Leo had called it. Hazel didn't understand that reference and was deducted five points immediately. "Five points from what? Oh, she's hit her head."
"I'll show you the coffee table in a minute."
"What coffee table?"
"In a minute." He insisted. "What is she doing?" Hazel gave an unhelpful 'I don't know' sound and a shrug. This is when Leo full-screened it. There was no angle to look into the cupboard, but she was watching something to her left, shoulders tense. Whatever it was, she called it a bastard.
He sat back in his chair, rubbing at his face. Louisa straightened carefully, frowning at the door frame and touching the back of her head. She kicked the door closed and darted up the stairs two at a time. Leo changed the feed in time to see her slam the door of her new bedroom. She paced by the window, hands clasped on the back of her head, muttering to herself. Leo knew that one. "She's panicking."
"Oh." Hazel fiddled with her sleeve nervously. "Do you want me to go over and see her?" He didn't answer. He halved the screen, keeping the live feed on the right and rewinding to the cupboard scene on the left, watching it closely. He saw her freeze, saw her relaxed, cheese-munching expression change to confusion, then horror and then annoyance. Her grip tightened on the cheese block and she opened the door, found the light. He heard the thud of her head on the doorframe through the audio, wincing.
"It's probably a spider." He summarised, sighing.
"Why didn't she just get rid of it then?"
"Dunno."
"I'll go over and check on her." At his dubious look, she pursed her lips. "At least let me see what's under the stairs. And make sure she's not knocked herself silly."
"Sillier."
"Yes, OK." She rolled her eyes. Leo let her go, shoving the last of the toasties in his mouth.
Hazel collected a key for the door from one of the volunteers. They offered to come with her, but she assured them she was only going to sneak in and check something. "Thank you." She smiled at their hesitancy. "I'll only need a minute."
The front door hardly made a sound as she unlocked it, barely a creak as she pushed it open just enough to slide through. She padded across the carpet and eased the cupboard door open.
It was a spider, a beast of a spider.
She wasn't going to touch it with her hands, but she could still get it out. She found a bowl in the kitchen and a bit of cardboard from the trash. She turned, psyching herself up to clear the arachnid. It took her a second to notice and she felt sure her heart missed a few beats when she did, but Louisa stood in the doorway, watching her with an unreadable expression.
"Lou, I…" Hazel smiled, heart pounding from what felt like a mile-high jump off the floor. "I didn't hear you come in."
"I heard you." Louisa replied, tone blank but heavy. "What are you doin'?"
"Um… we saw you hit your head. I'm here to get rid of the spider for you."
"Oh." Her features softened momentarily, then confused and then back to that unreadableness.
"How's your head?"
"It's… still on." Louisa felt the injury absent-mindedly. "What are you doin'?"
"Getting the spider." Hazel repeated calmly.
"Oh. Right."
"What are you doing?"
"I heard ya come in."
"You did?" Hazel was sure she had been quiet, stealthy. Louisa's gaze fell on the kettle to her right, squishing her palms over her ears. "Lou, I've got some unicorn draught, if you want it. For your head." She continued at her blank look.
"'M fine." She mumbled. "Headache."
"You did hit your head." Hazel reminded her. Louisa shook her head slightly, baffled. "Oh gods, let me look." She made to set the bowl and cardboard down. Louisa swore in Latin and ran off, back upstairs. Hazel listened to her footsteps overhead, heard a door shut. She looked around, as if the answers would be on the kitchen cabinets. She noticed a camera, shrugging her shoulders cluelessly.
It only took her a minute to catch, walk off with and dispose of the spider. She returned the cardboard to the trash, put the bowl in the sink. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, resting her hand on the bannister. "Lou?" She called. "Are you alright?" There was no answer.
She should have left. Her job had been to go in and clear the spider out, unnoticed. But Louisa had heard her. And she was worried about this head injury. Louisa had only just got her memories back, according to Leo. The last thing they needed was another bout of amnesia. "Lou?" She repeated, halfway up the stairs. "I'm just checking you're OK. Where are you?"
Leo swore at the screen. He really should have installed a communication system, maybe supplied Hazel with a walkie-talkie. The goal had been getting rid of the spider and then leaving. Now she was on the upstairs landing, still calling for her cousin.
Louisa was sat on her bed, her back to both cameras, cross-legged and hunched over, as if she was going to be sick. Her hands still covered her ears, with enough force to convince Leo she was trying to squash her head.
She had stopped pacing as soon as the front door had opened, staring down in its direction as if she could see through the floors and walls. She moved closer to the door as Hazel checked the Harry Potter cupboard. Green light crackled over her fingertips, she pushed her hand to her chest. He bit his knuckles as she eased her door open, venturing down the stairs on soft feet. Hazel moved into the kitchen, not noticing her companion.
A door opened. It took Leo a moment to realise it was the praetorium door and didn't notice his guest until Frank bopped him lightly on the head.
"Whoa, sorry!" Frank held his hands up as Leo all but fell out his chair in surprise. "You OK?"
"Percy's right." Leo murmured, more to himself. Frank smiled politely, confused. "Frank, my man, you are exactly where you're needed, every time." Leo pointed at the screen. Frank's smile dimmed as he saw Hazel, leaning on Leo's shoulder to peer closer. Hazel stood at the bottom of the stairs, her voice quiet through the speakers as she called for Louisa. "Think you could fly over and give her a hand?"
Hazel couldn't get through the bedroom door. She had opened it an inch only to have it slammed shut in her face. She tried the handle again, shoving her shoulder against it.
"Lou!" She scolded. Louisa sat on the other side, her back to the door, drawing her knees to her chest. She had kept her hands over her ears, but it didn't help. If anything, it made the rushing worse. It wasn't an outside noise, it was inside. Trying to stem it just blocked out any other noise wanting her attention.
The door thudded behind her again, her fingers curled, nails digging into her head. The monster was trying to get in. She had sent it away, the last one, told it to tell its master the camp was hers to protect. Now it was back. Angered, demanding revenge, it knew her name? How did it know her name? It banged against the door, smacked the handle about.
Hazel drummed her fist on the door, taking on a Louisa-esque style of knocking. She called her again, saw her shadow shift beneath the door. "Lou, come on! I just want to make sure you're OK!" The side of her hand was beginning to bruise. She stopped knocking, running her thumb over the battered flesh. "Lou?"
"Hazel?"
"Frank?"
"Are you alright?" He came bounding up the stairs, tucking his arm protectively around her and gently moving her away from the door. She squeezed his hand, offering a reassuring smile. His sigh of relief did not go unnoticed and he kissed the top of her head, briefly squeezing her in his arms. "Leo sent me over. Apparently you were supposed to just get rid of a spider."
"It was a big spider." Hazel nodded. "But Lou hit her head. And now she's barricaded herself in there." She gestured at the door. Frank considered it for a moment. He too tried the handle, tried pushing. His solution was to shrink down into a beetle and wiggle his way under the door. She heard Louisa yelp, a thump on the door as she jolted.
"Hi." Frank said.
"Bug man."
"Uh, yeah, sure. How's your head?"
"Headache. Where is it?"
"In your head?"
"What?" Louisa demanded, stricken. "It's in my head?"
"Well, yeah. It's a headache."
"What?" She said again, confused. Frank hummed uncertainly.
"What are you on about?"
"What are you on about?" She countered hotly.
"I'm not sure where this is going."
"Where is it?" She repeated.
"Where's what?"
"The- fuck, the monster!"
"What monster?"
"Fuckin'- outside! Door! Loud!"
"There's no monster out there."
"Knows my name!"
"It's Hazel."
"No!" Hazel watched the shadows move at the bottom of the door, followed by a scuffle. "No, no, put me down, put me down!" The door opened, Frank smiled. He had his arm wrapped around Louisa's middle, pinning her arms and holding her easily off the floor, ignoring her kicking and demands to get down.
"See?" He said. "No monster. Just Hazel." She squirmed, twisting and leaning to one side. "I'll put you down when you look at Hazel." He promised. She swore in Latin, shaking her head defiantly. "Come here." He requested, catching her face by the chin gently. She tried biting his fingers. "I'll turn into a snake." She froze, eyeing him sidelong. He turned her head and she looked at Hazel, brow furrowing.
"Hi." Hazel said helpfully. Louisa blinked.
"Is he a snake?"
"No."
"Where's the monster?"
"There isn't one." Hazel said. She stepped forward, reaching up. Frank set Louisa down, but kept a hold of her. There was a bit of a bump on the back of her head, her eyes a little unfocused. Hazel felt in her belt, found a vial of unicorn draught. Louisa turned her nose up at it, looking away like a child refusing their food. "Lou." Hazel shook her head. "Lou, don't make me get Reyna." Louisa looked round hopefully, past Hazel and to the stairs expectantly.
"Where's Reyna?" She rubbed at her ear. "Ya'll loud."
"We're not loud."
"Loud." Louisa confirmed, grimacing. "Where's Reyna?"
"How about you drink this and get some rest? Reyna said she'll come along later."
"Now." Louisa pouted.
"No, later." Hazel corrected. "Medicine, rest and then Reyna."
"Blackmail."
"Yes."
"Loud."
"Not loud."
"Very loud." She frowned at Frank. "Put me down."
"Medicine first."
"Blackmail." She whined. Frank let her go and she stumbled, leaning her shoulder on the wall. "Loud." She pressed her hands to her ears again. Frank raised a brow at her, then at Hazel. "Ah, no!" She stomped her foot, turning away. "Louder!" There was a clatter on the steps and then Leo appeared, out of breath and all but falling on the bannister. He wheezed something, beckoning frantically at Hazel and Frank.
"What is it?" Hazel asked. He huffed, doubling over.
"Need… to… leave…" He panted. "Not… built… for… running…" He nursed a stitch, swearing.
"Loud!" Louisa accused, clenching her fists and shaking her head. "Loud, loud, loud!" Leo flailed his hand. Green sparks circled her arms. A rattling sound came from the walls- the pipes.
"Leave!" Leo repeated on yet another wheeze. Hazel set the vial down on the floor, reaching for Frank's hand. They squeezed past Leo on the stairs and out the door. Leo hovered a moment more, watching her slump to the floor. She stared listlessly at the vial, folding her hands on her stomach. "Lou?"
"Go away."
"I just want-"
"Go away!" She demanded, glaring at something past his ear. The air writhed with green. Leo remained on the top step for a moment. Her anger flickered, stunned, eyes welling with tears. She hugged her knees to her chest, ducking her head. "Please just… go away." She requested, voice no louder than a mumble. "I don't wanna hurt you again."
"You won't."
"Mm-mm." She shook her head. "Not riskin' it. Please just go."
"You'll be OK."
"Everyone keeps sayin' that."
"Because we're not accepting anything else." Leo said firmly. "Now… eat your cheese. Get some rest. Leave the pipes alone. Do as you're told." She blinked at him, brow creasing. "Yeah, that's right. Obey me."
"You're so weird." She said, baffled. The air was settling though, the pipes beginning to quieten. Leo smiled.
"I'd say damn straight, but you're far from it."
"Oh, shut up."
"I think you're just 'damn'." She rolled her eyes, tension trickling from her frame. Leo snickered. "Gonna love and leave you! Do as you're told!" He blew a cheeky kiss and bounced down the stairs.
Hazel and Frank were waiting for him a little way's from the house, dithering with worry. "We're good now." Leo comforted, taking them both by the arm and leading them away. "Zhang. Give me a piggyback. I can't feel my legs. Leo is not built for running."
"What is Leo built for?"
"Stupid jokes. Charm. Good looks. Tofu burgers. I'm gonna fall down now."
"No, no! I've got you." Frank panicked. Leo smiled, pitching forward.
"Aww, my hero."