Some Time Before...
"Wow... Can you believe this view?!"
Alicia's voice was full of such excitement, Marcus just had to smile in response. Leaning against the doorframe of the ruin they'd camped in the night before, he was still amazed at how they'd been able to reach the ruins of New Rome. Shadow Travelling with Roxy... who would have guessed? This way, we can sneak out whenever we want. Marcus smiled to himself, and he couldn't help but think about how much things had changed for him in the past few weeks. Alicia and me... Nobody would've seen that coming. Not even Aphrodite apparently...
He was brought out of his thoughts by what felt like an entire bucket of clear, crisp, cold water hitting him in the face. Sputtering, he wiped off his face to see Alicia nearly doubled over with laughter.
"What was that for?!" Marcus asked.
"You were brooding again. I told you I was gonna break that habit of yours." Alicia said innocently, though the smile she gave him betrayed her mischievous nature.
"And here I thought you loved my brooding." Marcus scoffed, walking over to join her by the water's edge. Just a little further. Keep talking, it doesn't matter about what.
"Oh, I do. But it's a bit too early don't you think? The sun isn't even fully up yet."
"Seems to me that dawn is the perfect time for brooding. There's so much to think about-" Marcus leapt forward, catching Alicia around the waist as he did so. Alicia screamed with laughter, and before she could fight out of his grasp Marcus lifted her off her feet and brought her to the sand on the lakeside, tickling her. Alicia squirmed and rolled, trying to get away until finally Marcus let her roll out of his grasp. With a smile, he watched her gasping for breath.
"You... are such... an asshole!" Alicia managed to spit out between her deep breaths.
Marcus shrugged. "You started it."
"How?!"
"You're the one who threw water at me." Marcus gave Alicia the cocky grin that he had learned to use to get himself out of the doghouse. "Can't blame me for retaliating."
Without another word, Alicia pounced on Marcus, and he had to quickly avoid receiving the same treatment he had just given her. Finally, she gave up on tickling him, instead pinning both of his arms above his head.
"Gotcha!" She breathed. Marcus looked up into her eyes, her hair falling over his face and obscuring everything else from view. Damn. She's... beautiful... Marcus swallowed nervously. Alicia seemed to realize the position they were in and quickly rolled off of him, standing again. Marcus sighed. Wouldn't have minded if we'd stayed like that... Just a bit longer... Marcus stood up as well, wrapping his arms gently around Alicia's waist from behind.
"Would you look at that sunrise?" He said. The sun had just fully passed the horizon, and the sky was awash in shades of red, purple and orange. So much so it looked like somebody had splashed paint against the dark blue of the sky.
Alicia leaned back against him, her hair tickling his cheek. "The lake too."
Marcus smiled. The sunrise was reflected in the mirror-like surface of the lake. A perfect duplicate. No. A perfect match.
"Beautiful." Marcus sighed contently.
"Yes?" Alicia said teasingly.
Marcus couldn't help but chuckle. "I was talking about the view you seem to be enjoying so much."
"Are you saying I'm not beautiful?" Alicia turned in his arms, her eyes glittering dangerously in the sunlight.
Always loved a little danger in the morning. "Compared to this? No." Marcus smiled and winked at Alicia, ignoring the slow look of anger coming to her eyes. "Compared to this, you're breathtaking."
Alicia looked at him, surprise written clearly on her face. Might have been a bit too much... Marcus started thinking, but before he could finish the thought, she had thrown her arms around his neck, and her lips were pressed to his. Before he could do more than register what was happening, she had already pulled back just enough that she was able to press her forehead against his shoulder.
"A-Ali...?" Marcus stuttered out.
"That was so cliché..." She breathed into his shoulder. After a moment she looked up into his eyes. "But that's just something I'll have to learn to live with I guess."
"You didn't seem to mind..." Marcus mumbled, starting to regain his composure.
Alicia smiled and kissed him again, quickly and lightly, so he barely had time to register how her lips felt against his before they were gone again. "It's alright every once in a while I suppose." She slipped out of his arms, grabbing one of his hands with both of hers. "Come on! I wanna see where Percy Jackson used to live!"
Twice. She... She kissed me twice... Marcus tried to focus on where they were going as Alicia pulled him through the ruins of New Rome, remarking on things as they went. He was barely able to maintain his focus on the words she was saying, as every time he looked at her, all he could think about was her lips. Gods, get yourself together Marcus. She's more than that, you know.
Alicia stopped them before a home that looked nearly untouched by time. "Do you... Do you think this is it?"
Marcus walked closer to the doorway, brushing some of the dirt that had managed to find its way onto the building from a carving in the side. "Might be... Look at this."
Alicia joined him at the doorway, where an ornate Trident had been carved next to where the door had been. "No way..." She breathed.
"Come on, let's go inside." Marcus led the way into the house. Inside, it looked nearly untouched by time.
"Wow. This is amazing!" Alicia said.
Marcus went over to the couch in the middle of the space and tested it with his hand before sitting gently. "I don't know what those Romans made this thing out of, but it still feels like it's brand new." He laughed a bit to himself and put his feet up on the low table that was next to the couch.
"Hey... Marcus?" Alicia's voice was soft and uncertain. Looking over, Marcus could see her fidgeting with the edge of her shirt.
"What's up?" He asked.
"About um... About me... kissing you earlier..." Alicia's face was downcast, but her nervousness seemed to roll off of her in waves.
"Yeah...?" Might be best to keep answers short and sweet...
"Why... Why didn't you kiss me back?"
Marcus was stunned. Without thinking he started to laugh. Gods I'm an idiot! Alicia's face shot up, a look of shock and borderline anger on her face.
"What's so funny?!" She said, storming over to him.
Marcus stood up quickly and caught Alicia in his arms again, kissing her gently. For a moment she stood frozen, then she pressed her hands against his cheeks and returned his kiss, making it longer and deeper, making Marcus' head swim and his heart to beat faster and faster. Marcus broke away just enough that he was able to speak.
"You kissed me so quickly last time. How was I supposed to respond? I thought you were second guessing it."
"You idiot..." Alicia breathed, her breath tickling his nose. "You could have just-"
"Done this?" Marcus smiled, picking Alicia up and turning, putting her on her back on the couch behind him.
Alicia smiled up at him, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck. "Yeah. That could work I guess."
"You guess?" Marcus responded, running the tip of his nose against her cheek.
"Obviously. Can't make things too easy for you." Alicia pulled his face back to hers, the softness of her lips finding his again.
Present...
"Marcus, are you even listening to me!?"
Marcus yawned and stretched languidly with his eyes closed, purposefully seeming as uninterested as possible. Even before opening his eyes again, he knew what he'd see, but he knew not to push it too far. Chiron's already pissed off. Marcus opened one eye and saw Chiron glaring at him from the other side of the meeting table in the Big House. What he hadn't expected to see however, was the bow that was resting on the table. Guess I pissed him off more than I thought. But even so, Marcus couldn't make himself feel afraid. Or remorseful. The only reason he was even sitting here taking the verbal beating Chiron was trying to give him was so that none of the other three got it. My idea. My mistake. My punishment.
"Yeah Chiron, I get it." Marcus sighed. "I 'should have waited', and you 'only had my best interests at heart'..."
"Marcus." The tension in Chiron's voice betrayed just how angry he was. "You snuck out of camp-"
"Which I do all the time..." Marcus grumbled.
"That's part of the problem Marcus!" Chiron slammed his hand on the table. "You constantly disappear from Camp! And now, not only did you put yourself in danger, you stole a camp vehicle-"
"Which you repurposed for our use." Marcus pointed out.
"-and you put other camper's lives in danger!" Chiron shouted, overpowering Marcus.
"They were fine!" Marcus scoffed. "They had Maddie and me."
"And yet another problem. You know how hard we've worked to keep Maddison here and away from danger!"
"You're kidding right? You're the one who sent her out with us to try and find those missing half-bloods!" Marcus rolled his eyes. Senile old man... horse... centaur!
"That was a scouting mission! You were not supposed to face any real combat!" Chiron's voice was condescending, at least to Marcus' ears, and it sparked his temper.
"But we did! And she held her own and then some! This is exactly what you've had me training her for!" Marcus growled.
"That's beside the point Marcus. Maddison is-"
"Don't. Don't you dare. " Marcus shot to his feet. "Maddie is gifted. She's strong. She's intelligent. And more than that, I wouldn't trust anybody else to watch my back!"
"Marcus I wasn't-" Chiron's face was shocked, as if just realizing what Marcus thought he was saying.
"Without Maddie, we wouldn't have made it back from Billy and Isaac's ambush! I don't care what you, any other half-blood, or even the Gods think-" Marcus' voice kept climbing in volume and before he knew it, he was shouting loud enough that half-bloods outside the Big House could probably hear him, but he didn't care.
" Marcus!" Chiron's voice cut him off in his tracks. Marcus shut his mouth and sat back down, crossing his arms and kicking one of his legs up on the meeting table for good measure. "Maddison is one of the most talented half-bloods of our age. Therefore, she must be protected. Not lead headfirst into the most dangerous scenarios you can find."
Marcus bit his tongue. It's not like I wanted her to come along... I want to keep her as far from danger as possible too you know...
"Now you've backed me into a corner... How am I supposed to convince the other half-bloods to stay safe in camp, where it's safe, during these uncertain times when some of my most trusted won't listen?" Chiron looked at him sympathetically. "What do I do when those trusted return? How do I respond?"
Marcus shrugged, again taking on an air of uncaring defiance. Do what you want, it won't matter. I'm not stopping.
Chiron watched him silently. The silence stretched on for what seemed like hours. What is he waiting for? Marcus turned his gaze out the window in time to see a flash of movement. He had to suppress a smile. A flash of blonde hair? Chastity trying to see how much trouble I'm in I take it.
"Marcus, this isn't a joking matter." Chiron's voice was stern, but the anger had left it. Still, Marcus couldn't help but flinch. Dammit. Guess I wasn't totally able to stop smiling. Must be slipping. He turned his gaze back to Chiron, who simply sighed. "No matter what I attempt to do, it won't stick will it? You've always been that way. Always going off on your own, doing what you think is right. Consequences be damned... Go. Just... Go."
Well, that went better than expected. Marcus left the Big House before Chiron had time to change his mind. I fully expected a lecture that lasted hours. Marcus yawned and stretched, taking in the last sunlight of the day as he leaned against the railing around the Big House. Been a week since I was here last.
Thinking back on it, the bus trip back from the Ruins of New Rome went about as well as he could have hoped for. Jason and Joel had been content with his admitting that Alicia was his, as they put it, "psycho-ex". Gods I hate the word psycho... The rest of the trip had seen them attempting to get more information from him and Maddie, but they had both been too preoccupied with what they had just experienced to give them much more to work with. The final day saw Marcus finally give in and accept an Iris message from Chiron, if only to tell him that they were returning. Which led to that lovely lecture I just had to deal with... Gods dammit.
Somebody was behind him, coming closer. Quietly. He didn't know whether it was a sound or a feeling that warned him, but without warning Marcus spun and grabbed hold of whoever it was, tripping them up and pinning them on their back, one of his hands trapping theirs above their head. He had already pulled his watch out of his pocket when he realized he had...
"Chastity? What, exactly, are you doing?" Marcus asked.
"Well, right now I'm being pinned on my back." Chastity replied testily. She struggled a little to free her hands, then seemed to give up. "Not that I'm usually opposed to you being on top of me Marcus, but I do have a boyfriend now you know."
"I've heard." Marcus responded calmly, not moving. "But that's not what I meant, and you know it."
"Could've fooled me." Chastity seemed to change tact, her voice switching on a dime from frustrated and gruff to sweet as honey. Her eyes started to twinkle in the light of the setting sun. "After all, you know how much I love a guy who takes control."
Marcus sighed and tapped her forehead gently with his knuckle. "Hey, earth to Chastity. You can knock off the Aphrodite Glamour, yeah? You know I see through it."
She pouted up at him. "Why do you always think I'm using a Glamour? Can't you for once just admit you think I'm hot?"
Marcus raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, very beautiful. Which makes it such a shame that you think you need to resort to that Glamour at all." Marcus couldn't be sure, but for a moment he thought he saw her blush before she went back to looking annoyed with him. That's the Chastity I know. "There a reason you were sneaking up on me? Or were you just being nosy?"
Chastity pouted up at him. Okay... That's cute... Ugh. Not the time Marcus. "What if I just wanted to be with you while you were looking all broody and hot in the sunset?"
Marcus glared into Chastity's eyes. "Try again."
"Ugh fine! I was gonna get revenge for you leaving me behind, okay?!" Chastity squirmed, once more trying to wrestle free from Marcus' grasp. There it is. The truth she didn't want to say.
Marcus laughed a bit and put his watch away, pinning Chastity's hands with both of his own. "And how, exactly, were you planning to do that?"
"I don't know, maybe push you over the railing or something." Chastity mumbled, straining against his grip. "Or kick you or... Ugh will you let me up already?!"
Marcus shrugged and stood up, stepping back to give Chastity room to stand. Leaning back against the railing, he smiled to himself as Chastity stood, grumbling about "stupid boys" and "ruining her fun". He stopped smiling though, when she kicked him in the leg. Not enough that it hurt of course... Much.
"Ow! What was that for?" Marcus said.
"You're lucky that's all you're getting! How could you leave me behind like that?! I thought... Well, I guess it didn't matter what I thought." Chastity tossed her hair over her shoulder, but still stood next to him to watch the sun set over the camp.
"If you're that mad at me, why are you still here?"
"I like the view from here. Not my fault you're still here. Go brood somewhere else already." Chastity scoffed, not looking at him.
Marcus sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't bring you along on my super dangerous, definitely against the rules mission to steal a bus, sneak out of camp, and track down Aaron, a badass who could teleport, which you pointed out you weren't prepared to fight."
Chastity still didn't look at him, though she did cock her head to the side, allowing her hair to fall as a curtain between them. "You seemed to have no issue bringing those two new guys and Maddie along..."
"I wasn't really given much choice in the matter on that one..." Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. "Maddie caught me while I was sneaking out and the other two kinda just followed along."
"So... you were going to just leave on your own?" Chastity asked innocently.
Marcus was too distracted with the thoughts of what had happened at the Ruins of New Rome to catch that hint. "Yeah... And that would have been the worst way to run into Alicia..."
"Alicia... Your ex ...? That Alicia?" Chastity's voice was practically dripping with deadly sweetness.
"Yeah, that's the one" Marcus sighed, completely unaware of the danger.
"Well then I guess it's for the best you didn't bring me along. Wouldn't want another girl ruining that party." Chastity smiled at Marcus, her eyes cold enough to freeze fire itself as she turned and walked away from him.
"W... What did I say wrong now ?" Marcus called out to her and watched her leave incredulously. His only answer was Chastity's rapidly retreating... Hey. Stop that brain. I know your emotions are all over the place right now but that's not a path we're going down. Turning, Marcus walked away from the Big House in the direction of the central campfire. Maybe I'll still be able to make it in time to grab some food before Maddie's nightly chat with the moon...
Pre-occupied as he was, Marcus didn't notice Chiron sitting by the window of the Big House, having caught the end of Chastity and Marcus' exchange, an idea forming in his mind.