A/N: Hey guys, hope everyone's doing okay during this really difficult time. Thank you so much to SPQR-Alan for the really lovely review, I think you're going to like the next few chapters :) Also thank you to the guest who reviewed, that really made me laugh. See you all again next week! ~ Emma
The scent of chlorine filled the car. Emma's hair was braided, but still wet from the pool and dropping onto her shirt. She seemed to care just about as much as he did. The smell had always comforted him.
Emma sang along to the music under her breath, getting louder until she caught herself. Her cheeks became covered with a delicate blush, as she looked down and stopped altogether.
"I like it when you sing, you know." He glanced over at her. "You don't have to stop."
"But it must be annoying. I'm always singing in the car." She looked out the window as she spoke, watching the city go by. She surveyed the world as if it were interesting and not just the same streets they always drove through.
"Well it's not." He turned back to the road, reminding himself to concentrate. "It's nice."
She bit the corner of her lip and looked down, too self conscious to carry on. He didn't press, there wasn't far to go now.
He parked outside the apartment block and went round to get his stuff from the trunk. He tried to look normal, pulling out a larger than usual duffle bag and hoping that Emma wouldn't notice. Unfortunately she was too sharp for that.
"Are you staying the night? Or four?" She raised her eyebrow at him with a humorous smile.
"I just wanted to keep some stuff at your place, for emergencies." He tilted his head to one side and hoped he looked honest.
He thought she would question why he hadn't mentioned it sooner, but she shrugged and walked into the building. He followed her up to the apartment and muttered an excuse about putting the bag in her room for now. She gave him a puzzled look, but he'd bet right on her priorities. She stayed silent and moved to put on the kettle.
They followed the usual routine. Do some homework, make dinner and then feel too tired to do any more. Sometimes they watched TV, but more often than not Emma would pull her book out and sprawl across the couch to read. He would wander over to the stack of books that stood on the kitchen counter, topped with a yellow card that read 'Rory's To Read Pile'. Not today though. While she read, he went into her room, and pulled a large box out of his bag. A mix of nerves and excitement grew with each pace he took back toward her.
She must have been thrown off by the sound of the door, as when he came back in she was sat upright. Her eyes were trained on him, peering over the top of the couch like a meerkat. "What are you doing?"
He looked down at the box in his hands—complete with a ribbon on top—and back at his girlfriend. "Oh this? This is for me, obviously. I just really like boxes with bows."
She rolled her eyes . "Hilarious."
As he sat down next to her, he could feel the tension in her body. She tugged gently on her still damp braid. "What's the occasion? Am I missing something obvious?"
"Just open it." He grinned, dropping the box on her lap and kissing her cheek.
She pried open the lid with delicate fingers, revealing a note that lay on the top. She glanced at him before picking it up and reading it out. "Since you don't like giving me answers aloud, I thought I'd find a way around, tick a box and RSVP, will you go to Winter Formal with me? – Rory."
She pursed her lips to try and stop the spread of her infectious smile, but it lit up her sea green eyes anyway. "You're such a nerd. I love you."
Her face faltered, smile dropping like a pebble in a river as she heard the words fall out of her mouth. But to him they were music playing with a hundred harmonies, each sounding sweeter than the last. It was a beautiful cacophony that sent exhilaration racing through his body. The smile that covered his face couldn't have been wider if he'd tried. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The words had played on his tongue for a few days now, but he wasn't sure if she was ready to hear them. "I love you too."
Relief allowed her shoulders to drop, but he barely had time to see before he'd closed his eyes and kissed her. Her soft lips moved with his rhythmically. The flick of her tongue would have been enough to make him abandon most things, but not this. He had barely been able to concentrate all day thinking about this moment. He pulled back. "Now open it. The waiting is driving me insane."
"Sorry." Her eyes flickered away as she turned back to the box. She peeled back the tissue paper, her pace agonisingly slow. When she saw what was inside her face lit up and she looked at him with shock clear on her face.
"Is that good? Do you like them?" He had to restrain himself from bouncing up and down like a little kid. She looked as if she liked them, could he be reading it wrong?
"Rory they're... they're incredible." She pulled the boots out of the box. Combat boots with a three inch heel. "How did you find the exact thing I was nonsensically describing to you?"
She held one of the shoes up, admiring it. They were similar to her combat boots, but less worn.
"Way too much time walking round department stores on Sunday." He sighed. "Was it worth it?"
"Yes!" she laughed, reaching down to try them on. "How on earth did you know my size?"
"I may or may not have checked your current boots when you weren't looking." He grinned as she walked around the room, trying them out. "Damn you look good in those."
She winked at him, twisting her feet around to show them off. "You think?"
He couldn't stay away from her when she looked like that; fizzing with energy. He strode toward her, placing his hands on her waist. "Definitely. Am I going to have to wait for you to get a pen out for an answer or what?"
"About that." A small smile spread over her tempting lips, but her answer left an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. "Between us, yes, obviously yes. In terms of tickets… I wanted to get a pair so I could bring Lou from camp. She's never been to a school dance either and it would mean the world to her to come."
His uneasiness faded, and a warm tightness took its place. He always admired her for thinking about the people she held close, and doing whatever she could do to make them happy. Things he wouldn't even think mattered; she saw the impact they could have. "I think that sounds like a great idea. God, I love you."
Saying the words felt like flying. Hearing her say them back was a sun rising on an endless night. He pressed a kiss onto her lips, lightly at first and then harder. Her fingers tangled in his hair and he pressed her body into his. Their kiss deepened and he let his hands move over her body, appreciating every inch from the fullness of her hips to her strong muscles. Her perfection never escaped his notice. He lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his body as he carried her to the bedroom. He lay her down gently, pulling off his sweater, his shirt going with it. She wrapped her hands around his neck and drew his mouth back to hers. Her fingers trailed down to his chest, each one completing a circuit and drawing a strong electric current from his body. He moaned against her lips and reached down for the hem of her shirt. As he pulled it up, she helped him move it over her head, breaking their lips for a searing moment. When they rejoined them, her hands roved his body in soft but deliberate motions. It was enough to drive him mad. He became drunk on her once again.
Emma drew back, her reddened lips parted, gasping for air. "I want to do more."
"Are you sure?" He looked down at her, searching for a sign of uncertainty. He never wanted her to feel pressured, never wanted to rush her.
She nodded, giving him a quick kiss. "I don't want to go all the way, not yet, but I want more than this."
"If you ever become uncomfortable or want to stop, you tell me okay? Promise me." He pushed her hair out of her face in a delicate motion. He tried to keep his worries away, everything else with her felt so natural. So easy.
She smiled at him, pressing her soft lips to his. "I promise."
"We have to get coffee at some point. The iced ones with a ton of creme." Lou's eyes were alight with childlike joy as they walked through the doors of the shopping mall. "And donuts and then go get Chinese food in the little white boxes."
"Alright, slow down." Emma laughed, increasing her pace to keep up with her friend. "I don't even think I can eat that much."
"Where are we going first? We should get dresses and then accessories and then work out what we're doing with our hair." Lou marched on gazing through the shop windows and storefronts at the array of items.
"I have never been to a formal, so I have no idea." Emma linked her arm through Lou's, just to make sure she wouldn't run off and get lost. Chiron had been very clear that Lou should be returned in one piece. "Can you even buy formal dresses in person anymore?"
Lou sighed dramatically, shaking her head at Emma. "Not with negativity like that."
Lou paced her way through every clothing store in the mall, flicking through dresses like pages in a good book. Emma could only watch in awe as Lou confidently assessed each one.
"You can't wear that." Lou's eyes ran up and down the pale blue dress in Emmas hands. Emma had thought it a good choice, being so unrestrictive.
Emma frowned. "Why not?"
"It's a Winter Formal, everyone is going to be wearing blue or white because they have no flare or imagination." Lou placed a hand on her hip and looked at Emma disparagingly. "Also you have a toned body and that will do you no favours."
"Someones been spending too much time in the Aphrodite cabin." Emma grinned as she put the dress back.
"Tell me about it. You'd absorb it too if you hung around Lacy as much as I do." Lou sighed, turning back to the rail and snorting as she pulled out a tacky, glitter covered, silver dress. "Looks like the Hunters of Artemis threw up on it."
"True, but I'm not even sure the Aphrodite kids could make this one work." Emma matched Lou's choice with a hot pink dress, sporting an ostentatious bow over the front. "Though it would be as extra as they are."
"Will Betty be going?" Lou said, wrinkling her nose. "I always forget she goes to the same school as you."
"I assume she'll be going with my ex." Emma cringed at her own words.
"The traitor?" Lou grimaced "I don't know why you haven't kicked his ass yet. Say the word and I'll just kill him for you, it might be fun."
Emma's heart nosedived as the dream flashed behind her eyes. Austin bleeding out in the school corridor. The dagger in her hand. She took a deep breath and pushed it away.
"Or we could just go all 'Carrie' on him," Emma suggested with a half hearted smirk. "But instead of dousing him in blood, you could just use a pig ball and the whole school would see him in his truest form."
"It would be my pleasure." Lou lowered her head in a mock bow. "But first, food."
Lou pulled Emma into the first cafe they saw, despite its lack of donuts and Chinese food. Just as Lou started to realise, Emma felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She drew it out as a pit formed in her stomach. "Hey, do you wanna check out the menu? I've got to take this, it's Percy."
Lou shrugged. "Sure."
Emma smiled at her, mouthing a thank you before darting back outside. She picked up the phone. "Hi, what's up?"
"Are you out of your mind?" Percy's somewhat angry voice rang down the line.
"Nice to hear from you, as always." Emma pursed her lips.
Percy ignored her. "You do realise when Winter Formal is, right?"
"I'm pretty sure the date's been ingrained in my head from all the times I've heard Betty shout it over the tannoy at school, yes." Emma let her hand go to her necklace in an attempt to keep her annoyance under control.
"Then why in Hades name are you bringing Lou with you when it's the day before the freaking Winter Solstice?" Oh good. He found out. There was a reason she didn't tell him. This was that very reason.
"Because she's always wanted to go and we got Chiron's approval," Emma said, her tone flat. "Lou's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
"Bahram is going to looking for a sacrifice, we should all be staying within the boarders of camp, not going to some stupid school dance. There's no way I'm letting you go, you can't"
"No, I'm not spending what could very well be the last night of my life hiding." She dropped her hand to her side, the tide of frustration beating down her self control. "I'm going, end of. And if Lou wants to come with me, that's her decision to make. I thought we were past you thinking you can make my choices for me, but evidently not."
She slammed her finger down on the 'end call' button, knowing full well the force would make no difference. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before going back in.
Lou was leaning up against a counter in the cafe, grinning to herself as she surveyed the apple in her hands.
Emma raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't remember any fruit being on your exciting list of things to get?"
Lou giggled, shoving Emma playfully. "I'll have you know, some cute guy just started flirting with me. He gave me this, as well as his number. Not that it'll do me any good in my phoneless state."
"Giving people apples hasn't been a cool way of flirting since Ancient Greece. And even then, it was a strange marriage proposal. Something that, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're not ready for."
"Hey! Maybe he's just all read up on Ancient Greek culture." Lou folded her arms playfully. "It would make accepting my parentage just that much easier."
"Alright, but in future you really shouldn't take food from strangers." Emma sighed, going over to her.
Lou just rolled her eyes. "Relax. If I get poisoned you can write something cool on my tombstone. Like 'Lou Ellen Blackstone - Learnt nothing from Snow White.'"
"I'm being serious," Emma insisted, but the smile that broke her composure did little to reinforce her words. It was hard to be serious around Lou.
"The only thing we should be serious about, is working out how to get me a phone so I can text him." Lou looped her arm through Emma's, steering them in the direction of the tills again. "I'm so over all the boys at camp."
"Maybe you should start at Goode." Emma nudged her. "In my opinion, there are some pretty cute mortals there."
"Maybe you can get me a date for the dance." Lou's eyes glistened at the thought. "Someone tall, dark and handsome."
"Wow Lou, you are so un-superficial. I'm impressed."
Emma's arm was met with a light slap.