WORLDS BEYOND ( pjo )

𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢: just come home

After they came back to camp, there was immediately an uproar for a council meeting, but before Kia could join, she felt a tug on the cuff of her jacket. She looked back, and saw Ethan looking at her like he had a million things to say. Swimming in his eyes were a thousand unsaid words, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Kia cut him off, "Sure."

He made a sound, kind of like a sigh of relief, but also like he'd rather she had ripped her arm out of his grip and walked away.

Kia turned around, and looked to Percy, who was already looking at her. She whispered to him, "I'll be back in a sec. Cover for me, 'kay?"

Percy nodded, warily looking at Ethan as if he expected him to pull a knife out of nowhere and stab Kia, but breathing out in resignation anyway. "Okay. Just... just don't take too long."

"I'll be back before you know it."

Ethan led her into a clearing—the clearing they'd gone to the night before Kia's quest; it was still as beautiful as ever, this time, the sun rays dancing cheerfully on the surface of the water like Helios had played a flute on these waters, chrysanthemums and petunias surrounding the lake, Kia being able to identify them far more readily than she had during the night.

A log, oddly perfectly placed so that one could see his own reflection in the lake if he sat over it and leaned forward, looked idle and misplaced amongst the lovely trees and gentle, sparkling waves. Ethan sat on it, heaving a small sigh, and Kia followed his movements, resting next to him.

"So?" Kia prompted.

"So."

"Care to share why you brought me out here?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, and he stared at the blackness of his eyes in the reflection in the water. "How was your quest?"

Kia knew that with the intensity and manner of his speech, the restraint of each word, the way he's brought her all the way out here, that this wasn't all he'd meant to ask, but something told her she shouldn't prod further either. So, she said, "Eventfully."

Ethan chuckled a little. "A vague answer, huh?"

"I'm a vague girl."

He made a sour face, like he'd been sucking on a lemon rime. "Please don't say that again."

Kia slowly started laughing, snorting behind her palm, a little hysterically. It wasn't actually all that funny, but it seemed like such a contrast from just a day ago when she was fighting monsters and facing gods; the hilarity of it wasn't something her delirious mind could ignore. After watching her for a few moments, Ethan couldn't help himself—he started laughing too. Their laughter echoed and bounced off the bark of the trees harmoniously and fed it back to them, to which they laughed even louder and more boisterously. It became so bad that they found themselves clutching at their stomachs, the other hand wiping tears from their eyes.

"Why are we laughing?" Ethan managed.

"I have no idea."

Somehow, this seemed to intensify their need for laughter. Eventually, their laughter receded to small giggles here and there, until they were left simply staring at each other.

"Thanks," Kia said.

"For?"

"I don't know."

They helped each other up, and brushed themselves clean of whatever large particles of dirt and grass they could. Kia looked at Ethan. "Is there anything specific you wanted to tell me?"

He hesitated, like there were many things he wanted to, but couldn't. His lips moved in a mimic about to pronounce 'Sorry,' but Kia held up a hand. "No, it's fine." She smiled warmly. "You can tell me when you feel like it."