Disclaimer: I don't own PJO nor HoO, they are the beautiful children of Rick Riordan.
A/N: I have to warn you that writing this fic is a way for me to use my craziest, most OOC ideas regarding my beloved characters. Expect the unexpected. Also, I'd like to thank Sam, the wonderful guest reviewer, for their kind words. c:
CHAPTER 10
"Hey, Reyna..! Could we..." he winced as if the words were the hardest ones to let out "Could we talk..?" She couldn't deny that Ethan Nakamura asking her to have a conversation with himself was not a common thing to happen. Actually, they'd never really talked before. Fair enough, they'd gone to the same high school, but she'd never had neither an occasion nor any particular interest in starting a relationship with the original citizen of NYC.
Ethan was one year older than her, same age and home region as Percy and Annabeth. He, however, moved to California when he'd been just a kid, with his father who was a doctor and had found a new job on the other side of the country. Obviously, she didn't have any detailed information, but she'd learnt, somehow, somewhere, that he'd quickly become friends with Luke, who had happened to had lived on the same street, as he'd transferred to LA more less at the same time.
Anyway, she had absolutely no clue as to why he insisted they talked, let alone why he looked so anxious and bothered, his fists clenched tightly in his black jeans' pockets. "Well, what is it?" she asked, dropping her bag on a bench, wind blowing strands of hair in her eyes and starting to annoy her. Ethan sat carefully on the bench next to herself but still didn't say a word, not even looking her in the eye with his only one (she never asked but the eye patch was a prove good enough of him being partially sighted). "You know, I'm starting my extra class in some time, I can't sit here all day" she pressed, her eyebrows drawing together.
"It's just... It's about..." Ethan mumbled, his voice shaking a bit. Wait, was that a blush on his cheeks..? "It's about..." he took a deep breath and looked at her shyly "A friend of yours, Nico di Angelo..." a strange little almost-smile curved his lips when the said guy's name rolled softly off his tongue. Reyna's frown deepened. What did Ethan have to do with him?
"What about him?" she asked maybe a bit too quickly, too harshly if she didn't want to flush out her interlocutor. Ethan paled a bit and lowered his head, hiding his face from her sight.
"It's that... Oh gods, how do I even say it?!" he mumbled, running his fingers through his raven black, spiky wisps. "I... Nico... He..." he stuttered, then took a deep breath to calm himself down and continued "I'm interested in him... A lot..." he swallowed hard and fell silent, leaving it up to Reyna to solve the enigma that still was the motives of him bothering her.
Fortunately for Ethan's tattered nerves, the current situation reminded her of a similar talk she'd had some time earlier... The nervousness, the reluctance to talk, refusing to meet her eyes... Oh gods. "You... Like Nico..?" she asked softly, not wanting to startle him, which, unfortunately, didn't work.
After a while of calming down his quickened breathing that she was almost sure could have already been called a hyperventilation, Ethan finally looked her in the eyes. "You aren't..? I don't know..." he started, his voice shaking slightly, and she shook her head firmly. Maybe Nico hadn't actually pronounced his wariness when he had come out to her, but she was almost 100% sure he had felt similar way, too. She'd met with that scheme and her incredulity towards faith in its rightness didn't change at all.
"Love is love, doesn't matter to me who and how" she smiled softly to try and comfort him. Ethan was staring at her in disbelief or daze, she couldn't make out which it was, for a while, but then his tense gaze calmed and the twist of his features smoothed out.
"Thanks. You know, I was... Almost too scared to walk up to you and talk about this but..." he trailed off and looked around, whether to check if they were still alone or to think about what he was going to say next, she didn't know. A deep sigh escaped him and he focused on her one more time. "I thought it was less risky to talk to his friend, first..." he said, smiling a bit sadly. "So... Is Nico..? You know..." he didn't have to finish the question for Reyna to get the clue of what he was asking.
To shorten his hardship, she answered hurriedly "Yes. With Nico, you won't be rejected at the very beginning" Reyna thought the sight of Ethan's face slowly lightening up with the newfound hope was probably the sweetest thing she had seen since... Well, for sure since Leo's gentlemanly behavior...
"And... What should I do?" she was infinitely thankful to Ethan for having stopped her godsdamned fantasies. Focusing on somebody else's emotional life was a great help in forgetting about her own dilemmas. "What would be the best way to approach him, I-I mean..." he stuttered, nervously rolling the already neatly tucked-up sleeves of his shirt up "I don't want to screw it up at the very start" he mumbled, the deep tone of his cheeks going surprisingly well with the darkness of his hair.
Reyna focused her thoughts on Nico (thank gods it wasn't about Leo, thinking about him made her stupid crush or whatsoever even worse). "Well..." she began, frowning in concentration "What I learnt about him during the time we've known each other... It's not that much, actually. Nico's not the most open type of guy" she sighed quietly, throwing the end of her braid by her shoulder and smoothing out her top. Jason didn't joke about her being a bit of a pedant without any basis, after all.
"Well... That's a start, isn't it..?" Ethan smiled weakly, though she believed he wasn't usually as pale. Not quite finding any better way to show her support, Reyna just squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
"You're right, every bit is valuable" she said more sprightly. He was counting on her, she wasn't going to let him down. And, anyway, it wasn't only about Ethan. She had a feeling any possible relationship would have been beneficial for Nico, too. Maybe he would have finally forgotten about Percy, for good, instead of fighting himself and trying to fool his own scarred heart..?
"Let's see..." she mumbled, crossing her legs at her ankles. "Nico doesn't fancy meeting new people all that much..." seeing Ethan's expression fall, she added "But that doesn't mean he won't even let you give it a try! Unlike some people think, he's not an asshole" she smiled at him and Ethan returned the expression, however with visible difficulty. "And maybe it doesn't show all that much, but he really cares about those close to him. He's sensitive and kind, only... You have to gain his trust first, get through that shell of his."\
Ethan nodded slowly. "So I'm up for a challenge, huh..?" he tried to make his voice sound more jokingly than she saw he felt. Good. The last thing he needed was pessimism. There was already too much darkness surrounding Nico to add to it even further.
She nodded. "Yeah, I guess you are. But don't worry, it's no Sisyphean labor, I'm sure you'll achieve something" she tried to keep up the motivating atmosphere. "Ok, so, back to Nico..." she resumed her previous speech. "He's stubborn, that for sure" she said, remembering how fiercely the boy fought to get them to the uni's higher-ups. "And his weakness" the only one she knew, at least "Is keeping grudges. It's pretty hard to conciliate him once you've made him resentful."
Ethan had fixed all his attention on herself, it was almost weird how one could sit so still looking at one point only, and his only movements were small, occasional nods from time to time. "Do you have anything else-?" he asked and, upon hearing the note of harshness in his tone she blamed on his nervousness, added hurriedly "I didn't mean to sound... Well, mean... I'm sorry..."
She shook her head. "Not at all, Ethan" she smiled and checked her watch, yet another habit of hers. "Well, I'd love to tell you more but I need to get to the lab in ten mi-" she paused when an idea came into her head with the speed of a lightning striking the highest mountain. "You know... Actually, you could come with me..."
Ethan frowned. "Why? Won't I be a bother or-" Reyna shook her head, standing up and motioning for him to follow her.
"Leo knows Nico from high school, maybe another person would be able to give you some more of useful information" she explained while they walked, and Ethan halted suddenly.
"You want to tell him about how I... How I feel..?" he asked, reluctance cracking his voice slightly and drawing his eyebrows together.
Reyna stopped not to lose him along the way. "No, I don't. It's up to you whether he knows" she assured him. "I only want him to tell you what Nico is like, nothing else" She saw Ethan's form loosen up and, after a moment, he joined her in their pace to get to Leo.
X
He couldn't not wiggle and hum, preparing all the necessary equipment for the extra class. Just a few minutes and he'll get to spend some quality time with the queen of his heart... Reina de su corazón... (Pun intended.) Just him, her and... Well, Chemistry, but he wouldn't have been the super-sized mcshizzle if he couldn't have made any situation a valuable chance!
He was just rinsing a few glass rods yet again (just in case), when his insides turned into Gordian knot at the sound of the door being opened. He took a deep breath and summoned his most resplendent grin, double-checking how his hair looked thanks to his reflection in the window. "Well hello there, belleza-!" all air oozed out of him like from a pierced balloon when he found himself obviously trying to flirt with Ethan Nakamura. Where had he jumped out from?! "Ethan..!" Leo breathed, feeling his ears getting hot.
"Did you just call him a beauty, Leo?" Reyna came from behind their older colleague, having closed the door behind them. She was trying hard not to let that be seen, but Leo had been observing her for too long not to notice the way she was hoping to suppress a smile. Well, at least he jollied her up. That was certainly something good for the starters.
"Well, I believe I did" Leo snickered a bit too nervously (he had a reputation to keep in her eyes!), being dangerously close to overheating the mechanism of his mind. "But, of course, he's not even close to your pulchritude, dulca" he winked at her. Reyna's eyes widened. Oh yes, darling, Latin. Never underestimate Leo Valdez, he always did his homework. That reminded him he had yet to thank Jason for the data one more time...
Ethan glanced at her uncertainly and it was only then that Reyna broke her and Leo's eye contact. She cleared her throat, feeling annoying warmth in her cheeks but settling for ignoring it. Right. First things first. Don't forget what you had dragged the other guy behind you for. Certainly not to boast about how you couldn't help but fall more and more for the Latino, despite being absolutely desperate not to. "Ethan wants to talk to you" she announced and watched surprise wash over Leo's face.
"With me?" he wouldn't deny that it was quite a bolt. He'd only ever seen the guy a few times in his life, and their so-to-call connection consisted of Jason, Thalia, Luke and them at the very far ends. "What's up?" he asked curiously, his gaze jumping from strangely anxious Ethan to Reyna, with her arms crossed on her chest and the expression of I won't say anything, don't you ever try toughening her beautiful features. Man, it really was the weirdest thing in the whole universe how he hadn't paid attention to her earlier. Now every look at her slender figure, her grand posture, her gorgeous face, it all swept him off his feat. Not to mention actually spending time with her... He'd have done anything to make those moments last longer...
"Could you tell me what he's like?" Leo was terrified to realize he'd gotten lost in Reyna's pitch-black eyes and had heard absolutely nothing of Ethan explaining the request. He swallowed loud enough for students at the other side of the building to hear and messed up his hair sheepishly.
"Um, I'm sorry, could you say that again..?" he mumbled clumsily, his gaze leaving Reyna with highest reluctance and him fastening his eyes on the guy not to get distracted anymore. Ethan frowned slightly. For gods' sake, Leo could really make one meet the margins of their patience!
"Ethan has to talk to Nico. Do you have anything that could help him work on the best approach?" Reyna snapped, summarizing the last few moments of Ethan's reserved speech. Leo blinked a few times, then his eyebrows drew together.
"But why? What's the matter?" he couldn't understand what the reason for their older colleague to seek contact with somebody from the other side of the country was. Wasn't there any easier way? Ethan shifted tensely, opening his mouth but not being able to say anything, or at least so it seemed from Leo's perspective. This was getting stranger with every minute...
Crap, what did she say to drift Leo away from the dangerous waters?! Ethan clearly didn't fancy telling the Latino how he felt. Why that was - she didn't know, but she wasn't going to betray his trust. "Ethan's looking for... Information on gemstones" she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. Leo locked his eyes on hers, frowning while messing up his hair, both probably done unconsciously. Did he really have to do that..?! She was beginning to acknowledge her strangest infatuation with the way he played with his hair...
"Gemstones..?" he repeated slowly, his confused gaze travelling from Ethan to her and back. "Why won't you ask Hazel?" he pointed out, making Reyna's blood freeze in her veins. Damn, and why did he have to be so clever?! The color of the older guy's skin was beginning to resemble (oh, sweet irony) Nico's deathly pale complexion.
"He... Needs to know about a special type of stones, found only where Nico lives..!" Reyna lied quickly, feeling that if she returned Leo's stare, the secret would come out for sure, and settling for looking at Ethan instead. She really did suck at that game, as she usually felt no need to conceal the truth... Other than falling for Leo, of course. The Asian swallowed hard.
"Yes, it has to be him" he added unexpectedly, the firm tone of his voice making her cock an eyebrow in recognition. So he had finally found the guts to fend for himself? She smirked. Good for him.
Leo searched the two's eyes for a few moments (which was no easy task, as the both of them had apparently decided to notice the lovely wall paint the uni had used), hoping to make the situation any less weirder, but finally gave up with a quiet sigh. "Ok, I'll try..." he muttered, rubbing his nape with his free hand while the other rested on his chin in concentration. "Nico... Well, we were never that great of friends, but... Oh, I know!" he hit one of his palms with his fist. "I'll tell you what I did and you avoid those at all costs!" he grinned, suppressing an urge to wink at Reyna. Something told him her reaction wouldn't have been pleasant, or painless...
"Yes, this makes perfect sense!" Reyna agreed eagerly, and though it was obviously just a praise of the scheme he'd come up with, the way she was so pleased with making somebody act like his exact opposite stung him like a knife slipping in between one's fingers. Did she really not like anything about him, at all..? But, it was no time or place to sulk, he had a mission to fulfill, after all!
"First, don't try for great jokes and fabulous puns, this guy just doesn't seem to get splendid sense of humor. Unless you suck, then maybe you'd meet his taste" he told the other two, slowly and with most seriousness he could manage to maintain. "But yes, Nico is able to laugh, just..." he trailed off in deep thought, not quite knowing how to put the whole of the boy's quaintness in words. Too bad that quest, like those of all fair superheroes, absolutely had to go wrong, and that meant scaring away Ethan, whom he had just started enlightening with his vast knowledge of the Ghost King (as Leo liked to call the younger boy) subject.
Mrs. Lupa was never one for quiet enters, so before they even saw her spiky grey hair and intimidating stare, they heard her almost kick the door off the hinges. Her eyes travelled along all the surprised three, stopping on Ethan and making the whole poor guy's body tense. That was right, he wasn't used to the teacher's... specific approach... The woman finally let him out of her gaze's prison, losing all interest and turning her attention to Leo and Reyna.
"Valdez, Arellano" Reyna winced at the usage of her last name. She wasn't going to pretend her past didn't exist, but the image of the weak girl she had once been was never a welcome guest in her head. "I can't give you access to the lab tomorrow, not on Monday, either" Mrs. Lupa announced gravely, walking up to the table and double-checking how Leo had dealt with her precious glass Chemistry babies like an overprotective science mom she, like little else, was.
"I think I'm going to go... Thanks for support" Ethan whispered to Reyna, forcing a small smile. Before she could protest, because why would that interruption dispose of their plan completely, Ethan had already bowed his head towards Leo, muttered words of goodbye to the Chemistry teacher and noiselessly sneaked out of the room. Reyna sighed, focusing her attention on Mrs. Lupa, now that she didn't have Ethan's problem to tend to. (That didn't mean she wouldn't keep her fingers crossed, however such luck charms certainly didn't work.)
She decided to make the teacher say more than just mere words she had earlier. She'd gotten Ethan to run away, she could at least explain the matter that was its cause. "That's a shame. Why?" Reyna frowned, asking. The contest was just a few dozen days away, they couldn't afford to lose that much precious studying time. She glanced at Leo and her heart skipped a beat (stupid, reckless organ) when their eyes met in the process, as he was looking at her, too. Leo smiled and as she knew just how much he loved lab activities, she assumed it was because of their eye contact and not of the news. Damn, did he really have to be so... She didn't yet have it in herself to openly call him with adjectives more positive than decent.
Mrs. Lupa was the one to snap them of their, as it seemed, mutual train of thoughts. "There are some classes for high schoolers going to take place. Not my idea, the higher ups informed me just before I came here" she said bitterly, obviously afraid of what the stupid brats could do to her beloved laboratory.
That was the second the idea came to Leo's head. He was sometimes such a genius it swept even him off his own feat! "Soo... We're free till next Tuesday?" he asked to assure himself the plan would work. Perfect, the teacher was just opening her mouth to protest... "BUT of course we can't let the time slip by, can we?" he grinned, glancing at Reyna whose face was so very pretty even when shadowed with unease. "What I'm trying to say is... What about some joint studying sessions, Reyna?" he couldn't manage to keep the words in for any longer, instead settling for spilling them out and watching her eyes widen. Maybe she wasn't too fond of the idea just yet, but he'd make her change her mind...
"Perfect idea, Valdez" Mrs. Lupa nodded, walking up to the door. "Now, I have an awful lot of things to do, so I'm going to leave you alone. I trust you won't burn this place down?" she asked before leaving, and although it was clearly a rhetorical question, she couldn't help but freeze the two with her intimidating stares. That was just what Mrs. Lupa was like, the scariest teacher at the campus.
Now, Reyna had more important matters to take care of, that would be somehow persuading her brain into thinking that spending time with Leo anywhere outside of the lab, studying Chemistry, on top of that, was still nothing to be afraid of. Not any step further into their relationship or anything of sort of that nonsense. "Where do you want us to meet? Library?" she asked quickly, hoping to get the arrangements done and finally stop feeling so uneasy! She hated that feeling. It was just because she didn't like spontaneous plans like that one, just because...
Leo was playing with a burner nervously. "Well, I was thinking more about..." he muttered, suddenly feeling like that was a very bad idea, after all. What if it was too much risk to take? What if Reyna hated him, that time for good? But, as he couldn't back down, anymore, he added hurriedly "Our houses? I mean, I have some equipment there and I thought you do, too, so..." He couldn't make himself look into her eyes, instead lowering his head to cover the burning cheeks of his with his hair, even if only a little. Oh gods, why didn't she say anything..?!
X
Reyna walked into her house and dropped her heavy bag onto the floor. She quickly got rid of her shoes, petting Aurum and Argentum, her two beloved greyhounds, in the process. She walked into the kitchen to pour herself a big glass of water to cool herself down.
She plopped onto the couch in the living room, seeking peace in her pets' bright, intelligent eyes. At least they knew what it was like to be clever... "We're having a guest tomorrow" she announced with a sigh, not yet being able to come up with any precautions for falling for Leo when he was present in her own house.
ZJeM, 17.06-16.08.14
From author:
So I did some math recently and it occurred to me that, going with the age differences in PJO and HoO, Luke's 30 in this story. How weird is that? O-O
Eh, sorry for making Ethan such a softie. Ya know, I love the guy but it's been a while since I last read PJO, so... Let's welcome the OOCness, shall we? ;/
Ah, and Ethan's dad being a doctor is the result of being utterly in love forever with HecateA's "The Whole World Blind". c: Ethan fan? Go read it!
Also, I'm really sorry if the coming out part hurts anybody's feelings in any way. My only connection to the LGBT society is my sister, my knowledge is probably not on the level it should be to write such plots reliably. My deepest apologies.
And I'm sorry the ending's weird. It's come to the phase of I have to finish, I can't write this chapter for any longer or I'll explode.
THANKS FOR READING!
