kaleidoscope gold ● jason grace

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Being frozen wasn't the worst part of Frank's day.

After Piper's showdown with Khione, they had gathered on deck as Leo recuperated in the Sick Bay. When Frank had seen the impish boy, he'd flinched, which definitely didn't help morale, but the guy looked like he was on the verge of bursting into flames, and that couldn't be good, even if you were the Son of Vulcun.

The sun had set a long time ago, but the air was no longer frigid. It was relaxing, he thought as he watched Percy and Piper practice their sword fighting; after the pitstop in Split, the dynamic on board had changed and so Frank didn't know if he could attribute the light mood Nico di Angelo was in to the weather. Like a Canadian summer.

Hazel was below deck with Leo. She had always been the caretaker of their little group, though Frank knew she was so much more than that. The last week had been a wakeup call for Frank, in two ways. He was going to make it up to Hazel before the end of this quest, maybe even before Greece, in the hope that she would stop ignoring him, in the hope that she would take him back.

The second realization was more disturbing, and had happened as Percy told them about his dream the night before. Tartarus and near death didn't sound like a traitor's reward. Frank heard it in Percy's voice as it approached the topic: forgiveness. Percy had decided that in Daria and his animosity towards each other, he was to blame.

Frank wasn't sure how he felt about that. There was a lack of trust that ran deeper than any anger. If he couldn't trust the people on board, every military strategist would tell you that it was as good as a death sentence. Maybe they could work on that when she got back from Tartarus – Frank was more than willing.

Either way, he knew Hazel wouldn't speak to him until he was unequivocally sure of Daria's morals. That was extremely hard because Frank was incredibly hurt. He had thought of Daria as an older sister, only to have that ripped away from him in a matter of days.

Maybe, Hazel would be willing to hear him out, understand where he was coming from. Maybe they could come to some sort of compromise, and then, she would take him back. He walked down to where he knew she was, smiling as Annabeth called out pointers to her friends from the sidelines. He was nervous, but in a good way, the way you got before War Games started.

He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but Hazel's voice was rich and lovely to listen to. So, like a creep, he waited outside the Sick Bay and listened, his good mood dissipating rapidly.

"I don't know," she was saying. "If Frank wants to talk to me, he can. But I'm starting to think I'm not ready for a relationship. I want to do normal teenage things."

Leo's voice entered. "To be fair, none of us really had a normal childhood."

"I was born in the 1920's," she retorted. "Besides, the only couples on this quest are Daria's and Annabeth's. What do you think that says about the rest of us?"

"Probably that we're more normal than those four," Leo pointed out. "Think about it, those guys have been doing this the longest. But that's neither here nor there. We're trying to solve whatever's going on between you and Franky-boy."

"Maybe I should date someone else," Hazel mused suddenly. "Maybe no one." It came without preamble and without doubt. Frank nearly gave away his position, stumbling. By the time he had regained his footing, Leo gave his surprised answer.

"Uh?"

That was too much for Frank. He burst in without knocking, savoring the look on Leo's face, and wanting desperately to forget the look on Hazel's.

"Frank," she said calmly. Too calmly. Her golden eyes sparkled in the dim LED lights, reflecting color from every direction. "Do you need something?"

"Do I-?" Frank was bewildered. "What are you doing?"

Leo was sitting up on the bed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Look man, I didn't-"

"Oh, shut up."

He looked between the two. "Um, obviously I'm interrupting so I'm going to..." He struggled to his feet but for the most part didn't look wounded. Without so much as a second glance, he disappeared out the door.

Hazel didn't miss a beat. "I may have been raised in the 30's, but I know that you don't get any say in what I do or don't do."

"I'm not trying to!"

"Yes you are, Frank!" She snapped. "We didn't work, you need to accept that!"

"You never told me why," Frank argued. "Why did we break up? What can I do to get us back together?"

"We broke up because I'm not ready for a relationship," and it didn't seem like she was playing hard to get. "And, to be honest, I don't know if you are either."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Like, the way you're so mad at Daria. That doesn't come out of nowhere, maybe it's from your dad but..."

"You're scared of me?"

Hazel snorted. "No. But there's just something Frank. You're not used to yourself yet. You're not used to being a demigod."

"And you are, Haze?"

"I'm trying." She stated in a way that made Frank feel awfully guilty. "But you're convinced that Daria is evil, as if she doesn't know what she's doing, as if you wouldn't have done the same with her level of experience."

"Oh, so it's about her," he muttered. "Of course."

"This is what I mean!" She exclaimed. "Get over yourself! I'm 14, and right now, I don't want to date anybody."

"But," Frank wiltered. "I miss you."

"We can still be friends, you know." She sat on the gurney. "That is, if you stop ignoring me."

Frank frowned. "You're the one ignoring me."

Hazel blinked, then she laughed. The most beautiful sound Frank had ever heard. "We're a couple of idiots, huh?"

Frank smiled back shyly. "I guess so."

She punched his shoulder lightly, light for Hazel at least. "What were you coming down here to talk about anyway?"

There was a light knock at the door, but Nico didn't wait for permission before he came in. His eyes were twinkling with amusement. "We heard yelling. I figured Hazel was beating up on you, but Piper thinks you turned into a spider to scare her."

Hazel shook her head, "all good here. Thanks Neeks."

"Oh, don't call me that," he said cheerfully. "Don't stay up too late."

Hazel stared at the door, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think happened in Split?"

"Maybe he's possessed," Frank shrugged.

"Don't even joke about that," she shivered. "Anyway, you were saying?"

Frank shook his head, "don't worry about it. We should be getting some sleep."

Hazel frowned, "stay for a bit, please? You can teach me more the 21st century."

"I'll be honest," he nervously sat beside her, and when she didn't move, made himself more comfortable. "Most of what I know, I learned from my grandmother. So it might be a bit, well, a lot about the history of East Asia."

"Okay, you can explain what k-pop and ramen are," she said the words with a slight accent.

Frank had been caught in headlights, and Hazel was right. He would be better, for her. And he would wait for as long as she would let him be by her side.

"Oh man," he said. "Where do I begin?"

Hazel and Frank can get together in a normal time frame, thank you very much. Sorry this is kinda boring, but we're touching on Frank's redemption arc.

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