"New Students" (Klapollo AU)

Family Bonding in the Household of 3 Different Last Names

   The next day, Apollo and Trucy were sitting down in the living room trying to do homework. The keyword being "trying" as Trucy gave up on a math problem for the sixth time. "Pollyyy, can I just be done now?" Trucy whined.

   "I'm not telling you what I did yesterday until you finish. It's only that one problem left, isn't it?" Trucy nodded. "Well, what's the problem with it?"

   She huffed. "Checking the answer isn't working."

   Apollo took her worksheet for a moment to look at the problem. "Ah, you're just forgetting a negative, Truce. You did all the right work."

   Trucy took it back smiling. "Thanks, Polly!" Apollo saw her eyes not quite creasing at the sides as she did. The math problem had more impact than he thought.

   "Well, you wanted to hear about yesterday, right?"

   Trucy perked up immediately. "Yeah! Clay wouldn't tell me anything when I asked him about it, and you didn't tell mom anything useful either besides you were 'going to a friend's house.' You never told us you were gonna miss dinner either!"

   Apollo chuckled. "What I said was true though."

   "Was it?! You don't have any friends that live anywhere near here! Clay an' his dad are out by the space center, you barely talk to Athena, and Ema only ever comes over here unless her sister invites all of us over!"

   He held a hand to his chest. "Are those the only friends I have to you?"

   "They're the only close ones I know about, and I know you, Apollo. You wouldn't just go visit someone you aren't close with unless one of those three are there too. That's a me thing." Her smile was even wider with a curious glint in her eyes. She gasped. "Was it that cute boy that dropped you off like two weeks ago? Caviar or something?"

   "Klavier, Trucy. He's not fish eggs."

   She crossed her arms. "He could be if he tries hard enough."

   "Well then I'd prefer if he didn't try to. He's fine as is."

   Trucy gasped. "So it was him! What were you doing over at his place, Polly? Is he your secret boyfriend?!"

   "You wish!" Apollo paused, seeing Trucy's grin. "No, he isn't. He just invited me to come over yesterday last week on accident. Then it just sort of worked out that I stayed as late as I did."

   "Uh-huh sure, Apollo."

   Apollo huffed. "Look, if you want proof you can ask him about it tomorrow. And I do recommend asking him and not Clay. You never know what tale he might try to spin up this time."

   "You know Clay can't fool me!"

   "He convinced you that he was an alien for 6 months!"

   Trucy crossed her arms. "I was seven!"

   Footsteps started to approach them. Looking up Apollo saw his mom smiling with an armful of books. "What are you two fighting about this time?" She sat down on the couch in front of them, setting the books on the table next to their homework..

   Apollo straightened the books up as Thalassa made herself more comfortable on the couch. "Just that Clay's not a trustworthy source of information and yesterday when I was at Klavier's."

   Thalassa giggled to herself. "You'd think you'd choose more 'trustworthy' friends with our gift."

   "Well, no one's perfect."

   "Especially not Clay!" Trucy chimed in.

   Apollo glared at her. "Trucy!" Trucy stuck out her tongue in response. Good thing it was only them there.